Final report: hate speech in the #EP2014 campaign

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In March, ILGA-Europe and ENAR (European Network Against Racism) launched an Appeal for an election campaign free from discrimination and intolerance, urging European parties to condemn discriminatory or intolerant remarks during the European Parliament election campaign. ERGO, European Roma Grassroots Organizations Network, later joined the campaign.

An online form enabled the public to report discriminatory or intolerant incidents during the campaign. All reports received during the campaign are included here.

Summary

Out of 42 reported hate speech incidents against minorities, two thirds (27 reports) have involved implicit incitement to hatred, prejudice or discrimination, which turned out to be the most fre-quent form of hate speech in this campaign.
Candidates and other politicians have most frequently attacked mi-grants, foreigners and asylum-seekers (over 5 in 10 times), LGBTI people (3 in 10), but also Muslims (almost 2 in 10). Several incidents targeted Roma people (almost 2 in 10). One incident in Hungary (p. 5) targeted both LGBTI people and migrants.

These 42 hate speech incidents were mostly perpetrated by politicians whose party did not make it to the European Parliament (4 in 10). Yet 10 were perpetrated by politicians whose political party sits as Non-attached MEPs, and 10 by politicians whose party now sits in the EFDD group.

5 authors of these incidents now sit in the European Parliament.

Finally, hate speech appears to remain privy to parties clearly identified as far-right and populist at the national level: in two thirds of incidents (23 reports), parties without any European affiliation were at fault. When including all far-right European parties (the European Alliance for Freedom, the Alliance of European National Movements, and the Movement for a Europe of Liberties and Democracy), the total rises to 85% of incidents (36 reports). A report involves an observer member of the PES (p. 6), and 3 involve EPP-affiliated parties (pp. 8, 11 and 13).

This website has been produced with the financial support of the Rights Equality and Citizenship (REC) programme 2014-2020 of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of ILGA-Europe and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Commission.